Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39728857›Full record

ArticleSports (Basel, Switzerland)2024

Biomechanical Insights in Ancient Greek Combat Sports: A Static Analysis of Selected Pottery Depictions.

Andreas Bourantanis, Nikitas Nomikos, Weijie Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Andreas BourantanisDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5689-8353
Nikitas NomikosDepartment of Health Sciences and Sports, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece.
Weijie WangDepartment of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3987-9270

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThough ancient Greece preserves many pictures of combat sports, there is limited research in terms of biomechanical analysis of their sports. This research aimed to investigate the Pankration postures of ancient Greek athletics, expecting to bridge the gap between historical sports practices and contemporary biomechanical applications.

methodsThis study employed computer vision (OpenPose) to analyze two images, one as readiness and another as kicking postures, from ancient Greek Pankration by constructing a static multi-segmental model. Using Newton's Laws, the models simulated the postures as presented in historical depictions, estimated joint forces and moments, and calculated weight distribution and ground reaction forces for these postures.

resultsFor the readiness posture, it was found that the right hind leg experienced significant forces, with the highest moment at the knee joint, while the ankle and hip joints showed similar slightly lower moments. The front leg encountered lower forces and moments. For the kick posture, the supporting leg experienced the highest moment at the knee, while the kicking leg showed minimal moments at the ankle, knee, and hip.

conclusionsThe static analysis provided quantitative estimates of joint forces and moments in the depicted Pankration postures, suggesting that these postures were biomechanically effective for their intended functions in combat. While the analysis cannot confirm whether ancient athletes deliberately applied biomechanical principles, the results highlight the potential of biomechanical modeling to enhance our understanding of ancient sports practices. The research demonstrates the possible benefits of integrating static analysis with historical elements to study the physical demands and techniques of ancient combat sports.

Indexed as

ancient athleticscombat sportsPankrationsports biomechanicsstatic analysis

Identifiers

PMID39728857
PMCPMC11679180

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.